Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Off Again ~ Across the Pond to the UK

We are off again!

Our house and pet sitters are all prepared and John is excitedly waiting for the flight. Me not so much. I’m not a “flying in a tin can at almost the speed of sound” fan. With a few Tylenol PM I should be out cold on this all night flight.

With family in England and California, John and I are a lonesome pair in the AZ desert – aka “Hotsdale”. So we are very happy to visit family and friends on our trips. Better yet we have a new baby boy – just a month old, our grand baby number four to see for the first time. We are so so excited!

The pics below are essentially what we will be seeing – green lush hills, stone walls, sheep standing, and of course the water that keeps it that way. Lots of water and in its summer form – rain! As John says “you don’t visit England for the weather”.

We have our “brollies” and a rain jacket, or at least I do. Since John’s a native he just wears a sweat shirt. Me, I will be bundled up like Earnest Shackleton, according to John. Yes, even in summer!

We will be mostly staying in and around Skipton (hence the Skipton railway sign), an ancient market town in the North Yorkshire Dales. It boasts a castle which dates back to Norman times.

For our newer readers we usually have some pictures to post when we return, which everyone seems to enjoy. I think it to be “a badly needed book break”.

If interested link to see the post from our trip in January – Our Magical Mystery Tour. While there we visited Stonehenge, Avebury (another older and less busy stone circle), Exeter, and Glastonbury (the purported burial place of King Arthur). It was a blast from the past, with a slight paranormal twist.

This trip may be a little less magical; we will be taking in Exeter, and Windsor, and maybe we will see the Queen at her castle in Winsor? (Pic. below). We do have a little side trip planned which will remain a surprise until our return post. For a little hint they involve cheese and Romans.

As with our past travels, posting will be at a minimum; almost a complete hiatus. I will be attempting a few posts and have one definite review at the end of August. As well, email will be sketchy since the internet access is dodgy in the hills. So please bear with us for the next while or so and we will come home with some lovely photos and a few stories to tell. Hopefully around food, fun, family, and we can’t forget those pubs!

I can’t wait for some fish and chips, a good old fashioned “carvery” (there is one at the Craven Heifer pub which is absolutely brilliant), an English curry, and of course an ale or two. Goodness my stomach is growling!

So cheers my dears - as my lovely mother law says in her North Yorkshire accent – Have a wonderful rest of the summer since it will almost be fall when we get back. Until we return!

Have a fabulous time, Shellie. We've been having the driest summer here for years, so you never know, you may not even need the brolly! Have fun meeting your new grandbaby - it's always more fun when you can hand them back again!

Anna -Its nice to share "phobias" since you can feel like your not alone.Fortuneately I did not feel a thing. Except when we landed, since by then the wine had worn off. ;)

Mel U -I love our space woman header... I had been looking for a one and it just appeared. Thanks!

I have only been in Harrods in the airport, but the Marks and Spencers here is wonderful.

Gaynor -The sun gods were with us this trip. My first UK sun. Lovely!

Edi -So far so good, thanks edi!*************

Thanks for the wishes. :) I have been nervous about posting these because of the connection, but all seems to have worked out well, albiet a week late and with bad spelling - no firefox on this computer!